Pinocchio Or Do Hubots dream of electric sheep
by 20fourseven
Summary: In an alternate universe in Sweden, Human like Robots called "HuBots" are in practically every home. This is the setting for the Swedish TV series ' Akta Manniskor ' (Real Humans) Mimi is a Female domestic Hubot with a past 'life' who has her past erased and is sold to the Engman family.


Pinocchio. Or "Do Hubots dream of electric sheep"

(Apologies to Philip K Dick)

In an alternate universe in Sweden, Human like Robots called "HuBots" are in practically every home. This is the setting for the Swedish TV series ' Akta Manniskor ' (Real Humans) Mimi is a Female domestic Hubot with a past 'life' who has her past erased and is sold to the Engman family. **I have no connection to the show, no infringements are intended and Copywrite belongs to the authors. **

Mimi sensed her main power switch activated.

While her systems 'booted up' She realized there had been some upgrades since she was last 'powered on. '

She opened her eyes and there were two Human Males looking down at her.

"Wow" said the younger of the two.

Mimi sat up and noticed she was in a large cardboard box.

The older Male then spoke, "Hello" he said.

"Hello" Mimi replied.

The younger Male waved nervously.

The Elder Male asked Mimi to climb out of the box & he would start the programming with the supplied cable. he plugged it into the USB port on the back of her neck

"Okay, step one choose a name from the list below." He read.

A selection of names appeared and Hans scrolled down the list till he stopped at Anita.

"Your name is Anita"

"Anita" Mimi replied.

"I'm Hans Engman, this is my son Tobias or Tobbe."

Hans completed the set up instructions, removed the cable from the USB port, and then introduced his two daughters who were standing nearby.

"Anita, this is my eldest daughter Matilda and my youngest daughter Sofia."

"Hello" they said together

Anita smiled, "Hello" she said.

As time passed, Anita got used to daily life in the Engman household and they got used to her. Tobbe, needed help with his homework, Sofia liked Anita to read her bedtime stories. Matilda didn't really have much to do with her at first. Hans enjoyed not having to mow the lawn and Inger was glad of the help in the kitchen and laundry.

Tobbe had developed a crush on Anita. His teenage hormones were racing through his bloodstream.

He'd tried dating Human girls, but He couldn't get his mind off Anita.

He knew Anita couldn't return his feelings, but just being near her made him feel good.

When the family went to bed and Anita was sitting in the kitchen recharging her battery, she went into 'sleep' mode.

If it was at all possible for a Hubot to dream, Anita was having one now. It wasn't really a dream though; it was actually flashes of memory from Anita's past life that the reprogramming hadn't completely erased.

The memory flashes showed herself and several other Hubots approaching a house in the woods. There was a commotion and gunfire and Anita fell to the ground badly damaged.

As she lay on her back, she looked up at the stars and felt her 'consciousness' slipping away. From out of nowhere a large van pulled up and two men jumped out, picked her up and placed her in the back of the truck.

"Leo "she cried.

Leo came to her aid, but one of the men tasered him and he collapsed to the ground. That was all she could remember until Hans powered her up again in her new 'persona' as Anita.

Sofia loved Anita to read her a story before bed. Her favourite was Pinocchio. Anita started reading the book and after a short while Sofia fell asleep. Anita noticed this but was so interested in the book; she kept on reading 'till the end.

I wonder if I am like Pinocchio Anita thought to herself as she put the book down.

Pinocchio was a lump of wood that could talk and the woodchopper gave it to Geppetto the woodcarver thinking it would make a good puppet. Pinocchio was a bad boy though, when he told a lie his nose would grow. Anita felt her nose; she had never lied so there was no problem there.

When everyone had gone to sleep and Anita was sitting on her chair in the kitchen recharging, she had a different 'dream.' In this dream she was made of wood and was carved into a marionette named Anita by the kindly old wood carver David Eischer.

Anita wished to be a real human, more than anything.

In the story, Geppetto's wish for Pinocchio was granted by the Blue fairy. When Anita's charging cycle was complete and she 'awoke.' She walked to the window and looked at the night sky, but couldn't see any blue stars or a blue fairy. So she waited patiently for the sun to rise and the family to awaken.

Matilda was curious about Anita. Where did she come from, who was her last owner?

"Don't you know who owned you before"? Matilda asked. _"I do not have access to pre- Anita memories, Sometimes images appear that I cannot place."_ Anita tells Matilda _"There is 32% of my memory I cannot access." _Matilda was trying different settings to see if she could access that part of Anita's memory. Suddenly Matilda was warned to go no further or irreparable damage would occur. Taking the risk, Matilda proceeded and Mimi's persona came back.

Matilda was interrupted by the arrival home of her father. She changed 'Mimi' back to Anita.

At bedtime Sofia asked for the story of Pinocchio again. "Shall I start at the beginning or where you fell asleep?"

"Where I fell asleep" Sofia answered. Anita started reading and it wasn't long before Sofia was asleep. This time Anita didn't finish the book, she switched off the bedside light and walked downstairs to the kitchen. She was about to start her recharge cycle when she thought she saw a blue light. She hurried to the window but it was only a police car going by.

In the storybook, Pinocchio became a real live boy by doing something courageous. Anita wondered what she could do that was courageous.

Tobbe still had a huge crush on Anita. He had told her about his feelings, but she didn't respond in the way he hoped she would. _"Am I crazy to love a Hubot?"_ he thought. "_Even when she can't love me back"_ Tobbe was so upset, he stormed out of the house. Anita knew there was something wrong and went after him.

Tobbe was standing on the bridge over the Motorway, looking down at the traffic passing below. Anita walked up to him and asked why he had left the house. "You wouldn't understand" He said "You can't understand!" Tobbe climbed onto the railing and balanced precariously. Anita asked him to come down, but he ignored her. Sensing danger she grabbed for his hand, he slipped and was hanging over the busy Motorway. Anita could feel her grasp slipping, she climbed onto the railing to get a better grip and pulled him over the rail, but she overbalanced and fell onto the Motorway below, a passing Lorry ran over her and her parts were scattered all over.

"Anita!" Tobbe cried in disbelief. The lorry driver screeched to a halt, he thought he had hit a real person! Tobbe climbed down the embankment and ran to her, tears streaming down his face as he cradled her upper torso and looked into her eyes.

"Anita, I'm sorry!" Anita's arm straining to lift, brushed his face and then she was gone.

The recycler truck had arrived and gathered Anita's parts for transfer to the Hubot recycling plant. Tobbe phoned his parents and told them what had happened; they met him at the Plant and went inside to say goodbye.

Anita's parts were placed onto a conveyor belt which led to a shredder. At the end of the conveyor was a blue laser which scanned the parts and erased any hard drives. Anita noticed the blue light and thought of the Blue Fairy as her head toppled over the edge.

Weeks later it was still quiet in the Engman household. Tobbe would never forgive himself for what he had done to Anita. Matilda was wondering about the 32% of Anita / Mimi's memory that she didn't have time to access. Hans and Inger missed her greatly and most of all, Sofia cried herself to sleep every night.

Soon after this, a large package had arrived at the Engman's residence. Tobbe was furious, "How dare you buy another Hubot! Nothing can replace Anita!"

"Tobbe we didn't buy another Hubot "his father replied.

"Then what's this?"

"Let's open it and see" Inger said.

When they removed the lid there was Anita. She was all in one piece and good as new. She opened her eyes and greeted them. It was Anita! But how? They helped her out of the box and a note fell onto the floor. Hans picked it up and read it. _I couldn't make her into a real live girl, but I'm sure you'll be happy with what I've done. _It was signedB.F.

"Who is B.F?" Hans said, scratching his head.

"Blue Fairy!" Sofia screamed excitedly. "Like in Pinocchio!"

"I don't believe it, but I don't care as long as she's back!"

Everyone gathered around her for a group hug except for Tobbe. Anita walked over to him and took his hands. "Tobbe, please don't be mad at yourself. I am okay. I am sorry I cannot return your affection, but in my own way I love you all"

Tobbe smiled and they hugged each other.

THE END

Many thanks to the creators of Akta Manniskor for the characters I borrowed for this story.

Thanks to Carlo Collodi for writing the story of Pinochhio.

Thanks lastly to Lisette Pagler for her portrayal of Anita / Mimi.


End file.
